License card changes are consistently being done by the Department of Motor Vehicles across states. This is done to ensure that licenses are consistently being updated with the latest technology, to prevent fraud, and to enhance security features on the identity documents. While licenses differ slightly depending on which state you are in, sometimes licenses need to be updated across all states to adhere to new federal updates. However, sometimes this updates can be unexpected, causing confusion amongst citizens.
Ensure that your license is always up-to-date
Driver’s licenses are one of the primary ways police and other entities use to identity you. After the passing of the REAL ID Act in 2005, driver’s licensing standards became much more stricter, with the federal government passing minimum security standards all licenses and ID’s must meet and prohibits federal agencies from accepting licenses which do not meet these requirements.
For this reason, it is important that you always ensure you are aware of any state or federal changes with regards to licensing security updates which you may need to implement by applying for a new license. In addition to these, other changes are also implemented in order to be more convenient for you. An example of this is Idaho recently joining the 75% of the country who are implementing ID cards.
New license change is this state not as expected
While license changes are part of regular federal and state routine, they sometimes can take some time to get used to. This means that there can be some confusion among entities checking identity documents as they may not be aware of the new changes licenses and other identity documents may have. Recently, some residents from Minnesota have been battling this problem regarding their new same-day licenses and ID cards.
Minnesota cities Lakeville and Moorhead started to release same-day licenses and ID cards in 2022 as part of a pilot program within the state. The cards are issued and printed by the Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) in Minnesota. However, these relatively new same-day identification and license cards are causing locals difficulty with regards to their authenticity.
Some residents have complained that they have had the cards rejected in bars and even at the airport. According to residents, part of the problem is that the same-day cards are missing certain security features which you find on standard licenses and IDs, as well as the cards being printed blurry. This is causing the licenses to be rejected by validators on account for the same-day cards looking different to standard licenses and IDs.
DVS Director Pong Xiong said in a statement regarding the problem:
“We care about any issues customers are having with same-day issue cards. Same-day issue cards are only available in Lakeville and Moorhead. They look and feel slightly different than the central issue cards we send in the mail due to the cardstock and the laminate printing process… There is no indication that the cards are not functioning properly or that this is a technical issue, but more an issue of look and feel. If someone has a driver’s license that is not working properly or has an issue with it, we would encourage them to contact or visit a DVS location.”
Schedule your road test in Minnesota
If you are a new driver and are ready to get your license, whether it be the standard to same-day one, it is important to note that road tests are generally scheduled 30 days in advance from when you book your appointment. If you are applying to take the test and are under the age of 18, make sure you have your completed logbook recording a minimum of 50 hours of supervised driving practice. These hours must include a minimum of 15 hours of driving at night.
